1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a shoulder brace and, in particular, relates to orthopaedic braces which permit a limited range of movement of a limb or other body part.
2. Description of Related Art
Orthopaedic braces are often designed to provide both support and limited movement to injured shoulders. Many shoulder injuries require bracing during healing. The structure of an orthopaedic brace preferably should augment the structure or function of the injured arm or shoulder joint in order to promote healing.
In addition to providing support, orthopaedic braces often provide limited movement. Shoulder braces, for example, may provide for such limited movement in many planes. These shoulder braces frequently provide for flexion/extension, abduction/adduction, and rotational movement over a wide range of motion. Such movements of a joint through preselected ranges of motion are frequently advised for chronic conditions and for rehabilitation after surgery.
One treatment for a weakened shoulder, such as weakness caused by poliomyelitis or other nerve lesions, is to immobilize the arm in an elevated position. Treatment for this condition often includes keeping the arm in the elevated position to prevent overstretching of the deltoid muscle. The deltoid muscle controls vertical abduction (elevation) of the arm. If the arm is not maintained in an elevated position, the deltoid may be stretched beyond its elastic limit to the point where it is permanently damaged.
Existing shoulder braces provide both support and limited movement to injured joints and limbs. The support is often provided through a rigid structure and framework that adequately prevents movement of the arm, and the limited movement is often provided through adjustable structures that allow various components of the shoulder brace to be moved through various positions. Shoulder braces of the prior art, while providing support and limited movement, often comprise numerous metal and plastic parts and, accordingly, can be cumbersome and uncomfortable. In achieving the desired support and limitation of movement of a joint or limb, shoulder braces of the prior art often introduce a countereffect of focusing a significant amount of the weight of the shoulder brace onto one side of the waist of the patient.
Many prior-art shoulder braces include waist belts, which are attached at a point to the shoulder brace, and which introduce unnecessary discomfort and risk of injury. These belts focus the weight of the shoulder brace, as well as the weight of the patient's arm, onto the waist of the patient. This distribution is often uneven, occurring along the waistline of the patient, instead of having an even distribution along the waistline and the hips of the patient. Additionally, this distribution is often unevenly concentrated at the point of the attachment of the shoulder brace, which is usually on one side of the patient's waist.
Further, these belts, which often require the patient to bear some of the weight of the shoulder brace on the patient's shoulder and ribs, often do not provide a rigid lower-back support, and conceivably may contribute to lower-back injuries.